Not sure if there's a "best" one. I personally use Arch Linux. It's a "rolling release" distro and always gets the latest Linux kernels and software. And you can set it up the way you like, starting from a command prompt. That's probably the best thing we can do: create a minimal install and watch for any changes in eye comfort after every software addition or updates.
In your case I believe I read you use NVIDIA's proprietary driver. Did you test the open source driver, nouveau, too? It's included in the kernel and will be used automatically via modesetting when the proprietary driver is not installed/uninstalled. It might not work well on the latest cards though.

I always had a little more eye strain on Linux than on Windows (XP, 7, and 10 pre-anniversary), using the very same hardware setups.

I'd install a minimal Linux distribution + Xorg server, and maybe a small desktop environment like Xfce or even something smaller like a pure window manager without any of the "big" distros' additions like 3D desktops/compositors or other stuff that only adds complexity and makes it more difficult to narrow down sources of eye strain.

Keep in mind that latest changes in open source graphics drivers require latest kernels. In the case of NVIDIA cards, Xorg can currently be run with either the pure kernel modesetting driver (no actions required in Arch) or something on top of that like xf86-video-nouveau (a package that has to be installed separately in Arch).
I'm not familiar with AMD cards, but it should be similar there.

    Wrightpt1 Nvidia 1050 SC

    I've been reading that GTX Geforce > 1000 has issues.

    I have a 750Ti NVIDIA GM107 [GeForce GTX 750 Ti] and have no issues with it. Currently using Ver 381.09

    Which Linux distribution causes the least LED strain?

    I'm not sure there is any intentional difference and if there is, it could likely be configured to the "better" setting regardless of the distro.
    With that in mind, I use Linux Mint which allows easily turning off fonts hinting / antialiasing.

    • JTL replied to this.

        Slacor I already told him how to change font rendering settings on stock Debian.

          KM Have you tried different window managers? I think even more than Linux Mint I prefer LXLE. I may try arch and see if I can install different window managers. There seem to be a few different types of window managers. Maybe one will draw things in a way that works better with a certain system and monitor. thanking out loud of course.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_manager

          So far this is how it has been. LXLE > Linix Mint > Debian > Ubuntu

          I may retry Debian with the 970 video card.

          Also another thing I noticed that help me was cutting Freesync "on" through my monitor.

          • KM replied to this.

              Wrightpt1 I use Xfce and am currently pretty OK with it. Not sure about other setups, I'm just happy that it works now. Linux was not always usable for me on this very same PC. I remember I couldn't even use the (modesetting) command line without eyestrain. Something definitely has changed during some of those frequent updates. Not sure yet if it's enough. Windows 10 LTSB might still be a little better. I need more time to come to a conclusion.

                  KM Thanks, I may give XFCE a try.

                  Something happened today. I received the RX 570 AMD graphics card and have not installed the drivers yet. I am typing with my display port hooked into it and let me just say this.

                  kinda scary how comfortable it is. not perfect, but I am starting to feel a lot better about looking at my screen for a living. I think my screen, which has freesync is designed to be used with a AMD graphics card. I mean i can be productive now. its so much better than any invidia card i have used. I am going to go ahead and get the amd non graphics integrated cpu and see how it does. I am trying to install centOS but am having trouble installing through USB but will hopefully get it soon.

                  I posted on AMD forum a couple of days ago. Here is a reply I got. I thought it was interesting.

                  angryuser1:
                  "Correct me if I am wrong, but I always thought dithering is a screen issue and not a GPU issue? As in, GPU color bit support is usually higher than screen real hardware support, and it's the screen controller that decides which colors should become dithered in an attempt to display the color as close to the one GPU demands as possible?

                  There's also the cable compatibility (because higher bit depth requires higher bandwidth at the same resolution) but it's backwards compatible so I leave that aside."

                  Anyway, thanks for the input. Post when i learn more.

                      a month later

                      Wrightpt1 freesync sounds very interesting. Is it always on or only on when playing games?

                          Jerry wasn't logged in. I do not get replies sent to my email. probably a setting in need to change somewhere.

                          The freesync can always be on. There is a slight difference when using the computer for productivity use i found. mainly in how the screen feels if i remember correctly. not so much the eye strain but dont quote me on that.
                          Its cut on through the monitor. And if an amd card is present then it works but can be sensitive sometimes i found. i got rid of the monitor because it had a firmware issue but am getting another one i think. not sure which model.

                          Here is a poor video of it being cut on.

                          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6zK2RS8EZ4

                              Wrightpt1 Thanks. I have been wondering if I should try freesync or G-sync, but hesitant to do so because it takes non-trivial effort and costs to set it up without knowing whether it is going to give any benefit.

                                  Jerry good points.

                                  I am a fan of freesync because i think that is where manufacturers are going with monitors. It does not require a license fee to use in a monitor verses G-sync which does require a license fee from manufacturers.

                                  I know most people are not fans of Samsung monitors here but Samsung went with freesync and they have the Quantum color which causes me to swoon.

                                  Also, i think AMD and linux work well together. I cannot seem to get away from Ubuntu. I just feel more comfortable when using it. I learned to not install the drivers from the website of AMD, just use the Drivers that come with Linux and I at least seem to be much better off visually.

                                  Having said all of that, Nvidia seems to be the leader in performance when it comes to graphics cards and G-sync has zero quality issues.

                                  Not sure either of these will eliminate your eye strain but i know that AMD for me as been better than Intel and i never could get Nvidia to work well on Linux/Ubuntu. AMD with canonical support (i guess?) has been a life saver I guess especially sense I decided not to install the drivers and go with the open source versions.

                                  Also, i recently got t8 fluorescent tubes and t8 led tubes. Both work with a ballast and they are amazing I think.

                                  Also, this monitor. haha 10 bit panel, no dithering, VA panel with quantum color and Freesync. Take an act of congress to afford but i bet the viewing experience on this is second to none. only if it were curved.

                                  http://www.guru3d.com/news-story/samsung-adds-u32h850-a-4k-va-panel-and-quantum-dots.html

                                      Wrightpt1 when i say G-sync has no quality issues. I mean that freesync being that it is an open standard, some individuals have had problems. Like the monitor I had, it would flicker when freesync on at the very edge. I have not heard of any such issues with G-sync. When Freesync was off it was not an issue.

                                        Wrightpt1 AMD for me as been better than Intel and i never could get Nvidia to work well on Linux/Ubuntu.

                                        My experience with windows is that nvidia cards are the best (specifically GeForce GT 730 and GTX 750 Ti), intel cards are the worst (unusable) , and AMD card (Radeon R7 250) sits in between. I have not figured out how to disable dithering with Radeon card in windows, not sure if that will make a difference though. So I am inclined to try G-sync if I go that route.

                                            Jerry Great input. yeah, if you have an invidia graphics card i say that G-sync is an awesome feature. However, i do not think with G-sync can turn on outside of a game unfortunately. I may be wrong but i remember asking around on forum and that was the response I remember getting. Please be aware of this as monitors without g sync are cheaper.

                                            Can i ask a question: Are you saying that turning off the Temporal dithering through Nivida control panel makes your eyes feel better? I never used it with Windows sadly when I had the Nvidia graphics card.

                                            I just makes me feel better knowing that what the graphics card receives and what is then sent to the monitor are more in line. These are what freesync and g-sync are designed to do. Help with screen tearing, which is mainly with games, which i know little about.

                                            This is mainly me rambling but It helps me to get it out verses leaving it in. its all over the place.

                                            A small word on Windows. I understand a substantial number of corporations & federal govt use Windows as a basis but I can not for the life of me get used to it as a daily driver. I mean i want a machine that allows me to do whatever i want to do with data, instances, computing in general and Windows makes me feel like i just ate a lot of carbs, sluggish with an insulin rush but really good and safe. I feel like it inhibits my productivity. It treats a computer like an old vehicle or piece of heavy machinery i feel. Push and play. Not something to dive in deeper with many layers. (i re-read this and it looks sounds so offensive, please do not take it that way. I apologize. )

                                            Concerning AMD and Windows, You are definitively correct I think, dual booted to Windows earlier today and feel better on Linux than Windows with the AMD graphics card. You are very right. I am so surprised by this.

                                            I feel like if the Graphics card market was larger it would be better but it seems to be getting that way slowly. I saw AMD keynote on there plans forward and they are insanely focused on GPU for the Data Center for machines learning use. and it seems like eye comfort for graphics is an afterthought. Its all about FPS and Rendering. if some GPU maker came out with a super great end user experience i think they could take the market by storm. For now i (barely) feel safe with AMD and led tubes that are ballast compatible. Still playing around with the icc profiles for the monitor to find the one that works the best.

                                                Wrightpt1 i do not think with G-sync can turn on outside of a game unfortunately.

                                                That is probably true. I did a bit research before about how to turn up nividia card's frames per second (FPS) out of game mode. i even contacted nvidia customer service. The answer I got was no. Hope they can make it available for non-gamers in the near future.

                                                Wrightpt1 Are you saying that turning off the Temporal dithering through Nivida control panel makes your eyes feel better?

                                                nvidia card is fine. I do not need to make any changes in the setting. I heard of that somewhere (probably this forum) nvidia turns off temporal dithering by default in windows. What I meant is that the Radeon R7 250 card gives me trouble. AMD card does not turn off dithering by default, so I am trying to figure out how to disable radeon dithering to see if that will make a difference. There are instructions on this issue in this forum for the old AMD catalyst Control Center. But what I have is "Radeon settings" instead of the "catalyst control center", I don't know how to do it in "radeon settings".

                                                Wrightpt1 re-read this and it looks sounds so offensive, please do not take it that way

                                                Not at all. Actually I use linux server quite often (for parallel computing and simulation) thru PuTTY. I have always wanted to switch to linux because of the good things I heard about it from my friends in computation field. But it is really difficult to change since I started with windows and my collaborators are all using windows or mac. Our IT department does not support linux either.

                                                      3 years later

                                                      I've been playing around with live usb drives, and in some cases, full installs. Not done yet, still 2 more interesting ones to go, but it's fun and why not?

                                                      One that surprised me is MX Linux (version 19.2 tested) which uses XFCE. It's well put together compared to others, and whatever compositor they're using is a lot smoother at scrolling than others. Not sure why. If you're curious, I'd suggest trying it out on a flash drive.

                                                      One setting that can be changed in MX Tweaks applet allows for the choice between modesetting video driver and an intel video driver not much difference, though I think there is one between the two with font rendering in Firefox. Turning off font-AA in appearances applet is also functional. I'm aware of a flag for the intel driver that can be changed in a config textfile to make it use SNA or UXA or whatever, but I did not test that at this time.

                                                      I also attempted to try some BSD OSes. They didn't work out for me because their driver support is too old as all of them struggle with support/funding which is sad because a lot of commercial projects have used them as an OS base (e.g. MacOS, Playstation, etc.) I was surprised that even with the latest snapshot of today, OpenBSD literally cannot start X on my machine, it panics and I have to hold the power button down to make it power off. Though the others did start X.

                                                      That Linux Mint font configuration tool is easily done through any Gnome distro using Gnome Tweaks.

                                                      I use Ubuntu Unity after using some more fringe distros and desktop environments. I'm not sure that Ubuntu is the best for eye comfort and health, but I really like it, and because it's a very popular distro using the default desktop environment, it gets a lot of eyes and lots of development testing. So if it's causing eye strain, it's affecting more users than most others, which means it should be detected faster and fixed sooner.

                                                      I've also heard many positive user experiences regarding KDE.

                                                      • JTL replied to this.

                                                        K-Moss So if it's causing eye strain, it's affecting more users than most others, which means it should be detected faster and fixed sooner.

                                                        I take issue with this. If that logic was true, then why would Windows 10 have severe eyestrain issues for four years? Arguably more eyes on Windows from both a user and developer perspective then Ubuntu or other Linux.

                                                          KDE's pretty good I agree, but it also depends on which version you're running. With that DE the newest versions are best but the other DE's are pretty ok too.. but at the end of the day it comes down to the direct rendering drivers, and the compositors.

                                                          K-Moss if you want to look at the latest version of KDE sitting on top of Ubuntu, then KDE Neon is the distro for you. All it is is the fixed release of Ubuntu LTS with a continuously rolling release of KDE. It's not perfect though, nothing is perfect. But it's fun to play with for a bit. That one would be a little easier for you to set-up and use than Arch, which while also the newest KDE, is too much of a pain to get installed. I did install it to see, but I didn't find it enjoyable.

                                                          On a side note, it's amazing how some stuff from big pocket support is also busted. For example, Clear Linux, which is from Intel, I can't test it because it only goes to a boot screen, but not a desktop shell. My computer is from Intel..

                                                          dev